African Tribal Art - Dogon Statue

Former Belgian private collection

Carved mainly to order by families and, in this context, placed on the Tiré Kabou family altar, Dogon tribal statues are not limited to individual objects of worship. They can also take on a community dimension when they commemorate events such as the founding of the village. These statues, sometimes considered to embody the nyama (life force) of the deceased, are placed on ancestral altars and take part in various rituals, notably those linked to sowing and harvesting times. Despite this, the exact functions of these statues remain largely unknown.

In parallel with Islam, Dogon religious rites are organized around four main cults: the Lébé, linked to fertility and under the spiritual authority of the Hogon; the Wagem, an ancestor cult under the authority of the patriarch; the Binou, which invokes the spirit world and is led by the Binou priest; and finally, the mask society, involved in funeral rituals (Dogon, H. Blom). This diversity of cults underlines the richness and complexity of religious practices within the Dogon community.

The piece is accompanied by its certificate of authenticity.
PS: what does the certificate of authenticity consist of? https://www.african-arts-gallery.com/faq.aspx?qid=8

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